Missoula Airport Busier Than Normal With Fire Fighting Flights

The Missoula International Airport just received a sizeable grant from the Federal Government, Airport Director Cris Jensen explains.

"Every year we get an AIP or Airport Improvement Program Grant from the FAA, and this is our annual AIP grant which is a little over $1.4 Million. It will be used to start the design of our new terminal project, we'll use it to due some maintenance on some airfield pavement, and it will also be used to increase the general aviation area to the west."

Missoula County has been swamped with smoke for weeks, but Jensen says the low-visibility conditions aren’t hampering air travel.

"What it has effected is we have had a lot more fire related operations: a lot more air tankers, helicopters, things of that nature, so there's a lot more activity. Fortunately, it hasn't been bad enough that it has effected commercial air traffic. We're actually busier today than we would be normally this time of year without the fires."

There will likely be even more traffic in Missoula in the near future. Once the airport builds its new terminal, it will double the number of aircraft parking positions.